Mama and the Media: What to Watch During Pregnancy

Saturday night date night has most likely taken on a new form during pregnancy. Skip the trip to the theater and watch these great birth flicks in the comfort of your own home, where it’s totally acceptable to wear those super stretchy and oh-so-comfy pajama pants and the kicks you feel aren’t on the back of your seat, but from that tiny little guy or gal in your belly!

Orgasmic Birth – Yes, you read that right! We’re talking orgasms and birth, together in the same movie. While the title may raise an eyebrow or two, this film is absolutely my favorite to show the amazing strength, power, and inner wisdom that each and every woman possesses. It’s not a “how-to-have-an-orgasm-during-birth” guide, but rather honest, straightforward information about the physiology and hormones of pregnancy and birth, the mind-body connection, and some incredible birth footage (yes, there is a little orgasm in there too.) This film is also available in a condensed form, Organic Birth.

Birth As We Know It – Another favorite that really gets to the heart of pregnancy and birth, this one gives you an inspiring look into the world of birth. Though much of the footage takes place in Russia (including AMAZING water births in the Black Sea) the message is universal: birth is normal and women are strong, intuitive beings. I showed this DVD to my husband shortly after I began working as a doula and he was amazed. I believe his exact quote was, “Wow, that kind of makes me realize how insignificant my job is.” (He works in sales, which doesn’t usually involve world-altering, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.) This film also has a shorter version, Birth Into Being.

The Business of Being Born – This eye-opening documentary definitely paved the way for the influx of birth films in the past several years and for good reason! Former talk show host Ricki Lake takes you through an in-depth look at birth practices of the past and present. For many, the information may be shocking, but my hope is that it will inspire you to make informed decisions, ask questions, and find the provider that you feel will help you to have the birth experience you want.

Birth Day (the DVD, not the TV show) — If you want a film to remind you that birth can be a calm, tender, moving experience, this is it. Birth Day takes you into the home of Naoli Lopez for the birth of her third child. This is a great one for every expectant family, especially for those looking for a video to share with children who may be at the birth. Even though this one is 100% homebirth, I think it’s a powerful reminder that great birth can happen anywhere.

Laboring Under An Illusion: Mass Media Childbirth vs. The Real Thing – If my past self (who has a journalism degree with an advertising emphasis) and my present self (birth junkie in every way, shape, and form) had a baby together, it would be this documentary. You see birth from the mass media point of view, which undoubtedly shapes a woman’s perception and confidence in the birthing process from a young age, and then see real birth, something few of us ever actually witness. This one is totally a must see!

My final plug for confidence-building: do not, I repeat DO NOT subject yourself to any of the “birth” shows on television. This includes “A Baby Story,” “Bringing Baby Home,” “Deliver Me,” “Birth Day,” “One Born Every Minute,” or any other crazy show that you may find. They are likely to instill fear and confusion, often depicting a highly medicalized, worse-case scenario image of birth. There is very little that is real about those reality shows, so please stay away.

Now it’s time to pop that popcorn and get watching, mamas!

Lamaze International, www.lamaze.org, promotes a natural, healthy and safe approach to pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting practices. Lamaze serves as a resource for information, based on the most current medical advice, about what to expect and what choices are available during the childbearing years. Giving Birth with Confidence is the Lamaze blog written for and by real women and men on topics related to pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and parenting. The Lamaze Push for Your Baby campaign provides expectant parents with the support and information needed to spot good maternity care and push for the safest, healthiest birth possible.